30 August 2010

Ahh the thrill of wind brushing its airy fingers through my hair as I walk boldly across the wings of my husband's airplane mid-flight... Well, I didn't exactly wing walk, but my hubby and I watched a "wing walker" and her husband's pirate performance during my first airshow!

The airshow was perfect. I now grasp the awe of a child, as everywhere I looked there was something new to discover! I must say, the day was a bit easier to navigate when your CFI, pilot hubby is the tour guide. It was an exhilarating day from start to finish as well as a fabulous date with my hubby! I am again amazed to see God using simple experiences, such as the airshow, to catch a better glimpse of my hubby's God-given passion for flying.

Our summertime has flown by as well. This season of life has entailed the norm: working, studying, flying, and trusting God to reveal HIS hand and purpose in each day. Additionally, we enjoyed some special moments: our wedding photo shoot (a year delayed), time at the beach, hikes, the airshow, and just life together... As we are preparing in this season for MAF we both sit back in awe how God is allowing us to do life together. We are nearing a year of marriage and I must say I cannot remember life without my hubby! It is a gift from God to walk daily beside your best friend! We are excited to watch what God does in the days to come! We now only have 41 days until our evaluation and discovering the next page in our story. Thank you for your continued prayers.

10 August 2010

God provided the perfect getaway weekend for my hubby's 29th birthday. A beautiful and gracious couple from our church gave us a weekend away in a little 1920's cottage in Cannon Beach, Oregon! It honestly could not have been more ideal! I asked Will to work over time Monday-Thursday because we were having a birthday adventure Friday afternoon! I picked him up from work at noon on Friday and kidnapped him (Blind-fold and all)! Eventually I let him see and he figured out that we were spending "the afternoon" at the beach. Only later to find out that we were spending the WHOLE weekend at the cottage thanks to our dear friends. We enjoyed relaxing walks on the beach, talking for hours, attempted frisbee in the rain/wind, experiencing adult sugar highs (ice cream and confectioners chocolates in the same sitting after sharing a 20-slice pizza)and no communication with the outside world for 3 whole days! I was a good wife and packed Will's study materials so he could stay mentally sharp as our evaluation is drawing near... He studied for an hour or so while I enjoyed journaling on the couch, listening to music and the rain... It was the best mini-vacation and weekend of memories in our lives! We could not be more thankful for God allowing us to have this time of refreshing together as we are in the final stretch to our evaluation with MAF.

02 August 2010

Only 70 days until our Technical Evaluation with MAF. Our eval is just around the corner now! My hubby is sitting in our office rigorously studying in order to be as prepared as feasibly plausible.

Two to three times a week you will find us sitting in the crush of I-5 Vancouver traffic in order to put in some 206 flight time. My role (when there is not another CFI on board) is to call out instructions at random to my Captain... "Your engine is out..." Or, "Altitude" if my hubby varies more than 20 feet in his altitude levels (which he rarely does). These are only a few of the factors that my hubby will be assess on in October.

Over the last weeks Will has had a LOT of flight time. This last weekend, we had the honor of flying people from the "All Church Picnic" at Pearson Airport! It was a wonderful event where families from the local areas came together for sermons, worship & music, games and of course, airplane rides!

Will was the designated 206 Captain for the entire day. What we thought would be only a few flights quickly turned into a 6 hour day. Over 80 people signed up for their airplane experience. As the day neared a close, we sadly had to turn people away... However, a memorable ride for both of us was our last flight. Saorsa, a 6 year old boy, told us that he was going to be an astronaut when he grew up. However, he FIRST must become a pilot! By the end of the flight, and after Will's continuous instruction, Saorsa turned to his Rodger and said, "Dad, I am gonna teach you how to fly one day!" Will now has his youngest pilot/fan in training :)

It was a joy sharing Christ with the people around us in the midst of the chaos... The chaos of flying 80+ people, collecting donations, manning the lists of people awaiting plane rides... Oh, and on empty stomachs because the wife (me) forgot to pack lunches because I assumed (lesson one - never assume) an All Church Picnic meant, food was provided. Oops! But, my kind and wonderful hubby gracious ate the few granola bars I could scrounge up with a smile on his face as he continued to fly the eagerly awaiting passengers!

On our way home from the picnic we recalled the variety of passengers. Passengers who were retired pilots flying again to remember when... or the 206 flight filled with 5 boys (one of which lost his lunch mid-flight)... or the children who's eyes were filled with wonder upon their first flight...

It was amazing to realize how opportunities like this are God's blessing and HIS way of preparing us for the next step in our lives. We long to continue to bring hope to a world of people who may not have touched hope in tangible ways. Finding hope through God's unconditional love, or receiving practical things such as food, water or medicine. This is the "hope" that we will have the privilege to bring wherever God sends us in this world.

God has given my hubby the gift of being an amazing pilot and us together, the ability to show God's love to people. We cannot wait to see what the next page in our story may be as we step another day closer to our journey at MAF, in God's perfect time...

WHO WE ARE

We are missionaries with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) who are passionate to go and serve the people Papua, Indonesia. Our little family of FOUR includes Will, Nan, Gracie Jane (Age 3) and Bennett William (6 months). To learn more of the mission of MAF click HERE.